Platform Meetings
by The Peverells
Summary: Skarpoe MacFusty bumps into the little sister of the guy who's going to become his best friend, and seven-year-old Lily Potter falls in love.


Skarpoe MacFusty was both very excited and very nervous about going to Hogwarts. He knew, intellectually, that he was going to have a great seven years at Hogwarts – _everyone_ enjoyed Hogwarts. But that didn't stop him from being nervous. He had already said goodbye to his family, and was taking a last look around the platform before getting onto the train, and starting his Hogwarts years.

"Oomph!" He should probably have been paying more attention to where he was going, instead of how nervous he was, Skarpoe thought, as he looked down at the tiny girl he had knocked over. "I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

She bounced up with a grin. "I'm fine! And I'm sorry too! Are you going to Hogwarts?"

"Yes, I am going to Hogwarts." The girl looked too young, but Skarpoe asked anyway. "Are you?"

Her happy face immediately turned upset, "No. My brother is, though. That's why I'm here."

She was really young. "Are you supposed to be by yourself?"

She looked around. "No, but I don't know where my parents are. I thought I saw my cousins, so I went to look for them, and now I can't find _anyone_." She didn't sound extremely worried, and why should she, with the Wizarding World as safe as it was? But still . . .

Skarpoe nodded decisively. "Okay. We can look for them together. Does that sound good?"

She grinned and nodded.

"What do they look like?"

"They're really tall! But not as tall as Uncle Ron, Uncle Percy, or Uncle Bill, because _they're_ really _really_ tall."

Skarpoe grinned. The girl was tiny: of course she would say her parents were _tall_. "What about hair color?"

"Daddy has black hair and Mummy has red hair, like me!"

Skarpoe looked at her hair. It was _very_ red. It shouldn't be difficult to find her mother. "Let's go walk around a bit and you can tell me if you see them, okay?"

"Okay! What's your name? I'm Lily!"

Skarpoe started walking, making sure Lily was next to him. "I'm Skar."

"Oooo, that's a cool name!" Lily was practically bouncing, she was so excited. "I wish _my_ parents had named me something cool like that! But I guess Daddy already has a lot of scars, so they don't need someone _named_ Scar!"

"Well, my real name is 'Skarpoe', but 'Skar' is my nickname." Skarpoe wished he were older (and therefore taller) so he could actually _see_ around the crowded platform and find Lily's parents. "And I think 'Lily' is a nice name," he added.

"Not as nice as 'Skar'," Lily said unhappily. "Daddy has a really cool scar on his forehead that looks like a lightning bolt! I wish I had a scar like that!"

She kept chattering away, but Skarpoe had stopped listening. Her dad had a _lightning bolt scar_? And her name was ' _Lily'_ , and her mother had vivid red hair, and she had uncles _Ron_ , _Percy_ , and _Bill_. 'Well', Skarpoe thought, laughing to himself, 'At least I know what her parents look like, now.'

And there they were: Harry and Ginny Potter, exactly as they looked in pictures. "Lily," Skarpoe said. She looked where he was pointing, grabbed Skarpoe's hand, and dragged him over to her parents.

"Daddy! Mummy! Guess what? I got lost and Skar found me and then found you and he has the best name _ever_ , doesn't he?" Lily was bouncing in excitement again.

"Certainly better than _Albus Severus_ ," the older of Lily's brothers muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"James!" Ginny Potter exclaimed. "Stop it!" Then she turned to Skarpoe. "Thank you! Lily somehow manages to get into spectacular trouble when there isn't anyone around to watch her."

Skarpoe smiled. "No problem." He held out a hand. "Skarpoe MacFusty. I'm a big fan of the Holyhead Harpies." He turned to Harry Potter. "And, you know, of not being under the rule of a cruel and oppressive Dark Lord."

Lily's oldest brother snorted in laughter, and both of her parents shook his hand.

"MacFusty?!" Lily exclaimed. "You didn't tell me your last name! Why didn't you tell me your last name?!"

Skarpoe didn't see why it mattered (if anything, he should be upset she hadn't told him _her_ last name), but before he could say anything, Lily continued.

"Do you live at the MacFusty Dragon Reserve?! There are dragons there, right? I love dragons! Can I visit?!"

Skarpoe blinked. "Er, yes, that's where I live, and yes, there are dragons there – that's why it's called a _Dragon Reserve_." He didn't know what to say about her visiting.

"It's almost 11," Mrs. Potter said. "Are you a first year, Skar?" When he nodded, she continued, motioning to her oldest son. "James is starting his first year, too, along with his cousin Lucy, who's already on the train."

And with that, Skarpoe found himself heading towards the train with James Potter, about to meet Lucy Weasley (he assumed that was her last name – he was pretty sure the Potters didn't have any other cousins besides the Weasleys).

Lucy Weasley was extremely cool – he liked her immediately. And he was pretty sure Lucy and James liked him, too. Skarpoe grinned. All of his nerves had disappeared, leaving him only with a huge sense of excitement: _He was going to_ _Hogwarts!_

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Back on the platform, the Potters were waving to the train as it moved away. Except for Lily: she was thinking. Skar was awesome! He had a cool name and knew dragons and lived with dragons and he was amazing!

Lily was going to marry him someday.


End file.
